preston



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

GQH. PRESTON. TI ELD RATION MESS KIT.

h I h w .Q- G t I n Ii Preston In vemtor kZ'VJd-tor I Guy / WWI tnses 44129.

(No Model.) Q 1 2 sheets sheet 2v ,G.H.PRESTON. FIELD RATION MESS KIT.

No. 555,882. Patented Mar. 3, 1896.

AN DREW B GRAMM.PHDTWLWHQWASKINGTONJ C NITED STATES GUY II. PRESTON, OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO LAIVSON M. FULLER, OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY.

FIELD-RATION MESS-KIT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 555,882, dated March 3, 1896.

Application filed July 24, 1895.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUY II. PRESTON, a citizen of the United States, and a lieutenant in the United States Army, stationed at Fort Robinson, Nebraska, have invented certain Improvements in Field-Ration Mess-Kits, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to make a field-ration kit in a compact form, which can be readily used by the soldier or camper and in which the mess-pans can be detached and clamped together separately when it is necessary to carry cooked rations. This object I attain in the following manner, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved field-ration kit assembled in the case. Fig. 2 is a side view showing the kit assembled without the case. Fig. 3 is a side view of the case detached. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the canteen. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the cup, showing the handle extended. Fig. 6 is a view showing the two mess-pans detached. Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing the handled mess-pan ready for cooking. Fig. 8 is a detached perspective view of the hinge-plate of the mess-pan shown in Fig. 7, and Fig. 9 is a side view showing the two mess-pans secured together. 4

A is the canteen, of a suitable size, having a mouthpiece a, to which is adapted a cork a, having a ring a This ring is attached to a ring a on the neck of the canteen by a chain a as clearly shown in Fig. 4:. On each side of the canteen are rings a to which are secured suitable carrying-straps.

The canteen is preferably covered with felt or canvas in a manner common to canteens now used in the military service.

B is a cup adapted to the base of the canteen A, as shown clearly in Fig. 2. This cup has a handle I), which is pivoted at a point 1) within the cup. The cup is extended at If, so as to form a channel for the reception of the handle. WVhen the handle is turned in, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 5, it rests in the bottom of the cup, and when extended, as shown by full lines in Fig. 5, it can be used for dipping or for other purposes. The cup 13 may contain a small amount of water when Serial No. 557,044. (No model.)

adjusted on the canteen. This water will keep the felt covering of the canteen moist by absorption, thus keeping the water in the canteen cool.

The mess-pans D and E are of the same size, the mess-pan D being used especially for cooking, while the mess-pan E is used as a cover for the mess-pan D or as a plate. The pan D has a hinge-plate d, to which the handle D is secured. The handle is pivoted at d, and when turned up in the position shown in Fig. 7 is secured by a pin (1 which passes through an opening d in the handle and through openings (1 in the plate d, so that the handle D is rigidly held in the extended position.

When it is wished to turn the handle over against the bottom of the pan for packing, the pin (:1 is withdrawn. The handle is then free to be turned to the position shown in Fig. 6.

lVhen the two pans D and E are to be clamped together, as shown in Fig. 9, the pin (1 is passed through the opening (1 in the plate d of the pan D, and also throughan opening ein a lug on the pan E, and it will be noticed that the end d of the handle D is hooked, so that when the two mess-pans are placed together a ring 6, pivoted to the pan E, can engage with the hooked end 62* of the handle, thus securely holding the pans D and Etogether. This arrangement is used particularly in the military service when there are cooked rations left over. These rations are placed in the pan D and the pan E is fastened to it, as shown in Fig. 9, the pan E acting as a cover, so that the rations can be packed either in a saddle-bag or haversack.

The plate d has a lug d at one side, so that the bent portion of the pin d can be looked back of this projection, preventing it from becoming loose, and in order to prevent it being entirely withdrawn by accident I form a projection 61 on the pan D. While I have shown this particular fastening arrangement, other means of fastening the handle may be used without departing from my invention.

A knife, fork and spoon of a suitable pat tern can be placed in the case along with the other articles of the kit.

The case is preferably made in two parts, as shown in Fig. 3, the part G being recessed at g, so that the ring a of the canteen will be exposed, and the cover G is perforated for the passage of the neck of the canteen, as indicated in Fig. 1. The two parts are secured together by the straps g g and buckles 9 the buckles being secured in the present instance to the portion G of the case.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination of the canteen having a mouth, with pans attached to each side of the canteen and snugly fitting thereto and eX- tending around each end, with devices 011 the pans arranged to secure the pans together when they are detached from the canteen, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the mess-pan D, a handle D pivoted to the pan D, with a bolt adapted to lock the handle rigidly to thepan when the handle is extended, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the mess-pans D and E, a handle D pivoted to the pan D and so shaped that when packed it will conform to the said pan, a pivot-pin by which the pan E is hung to the pan D and a ring on the said pan E adapted to engage with the end of the handle so as to lock the two mess-pans'together, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the pans D and E and hinged plate cl secured to the pan D, the handle D pivoted to the plate, alock-pin d adapted to an opening in the handle and openings in the plate, a perforated lug on one end of the pan E and a ring 6 on the opposite end of the pan, substantially as described.

5. The combination of a canteen, a cup adapted thereto, said cup being recessed at 12 a handle pivoted in said recess and adapted to be turned down and to conform to the bottom of the cup, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GUY Ii. PRESTON. Vitnesses:

CHARLES LYNCH, CHAs. W. TAYLOR. 

